The National Housing Federation is launching a public awareness drive to increase take-up of shared ownership schemes as it says many consumers do not understand how these arrangements work.

The body, which represents housing associations, says that common misconceptions include that shared ownership means you will only own a few rooms in the property or that you might have to house share with strangers.

The campaign has been developed with 40 housing associations and will run over three years across print media, social media and outdoor advertising.

It follows the launch of the Sharedownership.net website last October, which lists homes available through schemes across England.

Housing associations currently manage 320,000 shared ownership properties throughout England and 14,000 new shared ownership homes were built last year. 

NHF shared ownership programme manager Ella Cheney says: “Over the last decade, it’s become so much harder to get a foot on the housing ladder. 

“Shared ownership is a great potential solution, but the problem is that too many people just don’t know about it.”

Chair of the campaign steering group Amy Nettleton adds: “For years the sector has developed their own shared ownership brands and been successful in selling thousands of homes all over the country. 

“But what keeps being said to us year after year is the high levels of confusion around the product. 

“This is what we aim to tackle in the first phase of the campaign; we want shared ownership to be a conscious thought when people are looking to move home.”